JKR's Edinburgh Festival Q&A is on her website now (under news)

[laura]

No: HPFGUIDX 110183

Julie <juli17 at a...> wrote:
> 1. Q: Apart from Harry, Snape is my favourite character because he 
> is so complex and I just love him. Can he see the Thestrals, and if 
> so, why? Also, is he a pure blood wizard?
> 
> JKR: Snape's ancestry is hinted at. He was a Death Eater, so clearly 
> he is no Muggle born, because Muggle borns are not allowed to be 
> Death Eaters, except in rare circumstances. You have some information 
> about his ancestry there. He can see Thestrals, but in my imagination 
> most of the older people at Hogwarts would be able to see them 
> because, obviously, as you go through life you do lose people and 
> understand what death is. But you must not forget that Snape was a 
> Death Eater. He will have seen things that
 <snip>
> 
> Julie comments: Notice how JKR didn't actually answer the question 
> about whether Snape is pure blood? She says he isn't Muggle born, 
> and that his ancestry has been hinted at (at least by the fact that 
> he is a Death Eater). But she doesn't tell us that he is pure blood. 
> From this non-answer, can we assume Snape is a half blood like 
> Voldemort and Harry?


I've just got back from the Edinburgh Book Festival, and I can't 
believe the transcript is up and people are talking about it already! 
I asked Jo if Snape can see the thestrals and if so why, and also if 
he was a pure-blood wizard (glad to see the person typing up the 
transcript edited my question slightly to hide the nervous stuttering 
and mumble that 'I love Snape' ;)

I noticed straight away that she didn't confirm whether Snape is a 
half-blood or not. If I hadn't already given the microphone back I 
would have asked "But Harry makes no mention of Snape when he sees 
the Black family tapestry, and Sirius mentions that all pure-blood 
families are inter-related somehow, does this mean that Snape is a 
half-blood?" It's not that far-fetched is it, for the head of 
Slytherin to not be a pure-blood. Look at Voldemort himself. I was 
very interested when she said that Muggleborns are only allowed to be 
DE's in very exceptional circumstances. What does everyone make of 
that?

As for the thestral answer, I did suspect that Snape can see 
thestrals. I am a bit confused now though, as to what makes you see a 
thestral. Is it when you've *seen* someone die or *known* someone 
close die? I'm 90% sure you have to see someone die in order to see 
the thestrals after reading the chapter in Hagrids' class (OotP). 
That tantalising bit when Jo mentions briefly that "Snape was a DE, 
he's seen things that..." makes me almost sure that whatever Snape 
has "seen" as a DE has enabled him to see the thestrals.

Thoughts, anyone?

Laura* (who's been up for over 24 hours now and is *still* too hyper 
to sleep!)